The trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu resumes today, Wednesday, before Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court at 1pm.
Justice Nyako had fixed the trial for afternoon to enable others cases proceed without any obstructions by security personnel. Specifically, the court has directed the Department of the State Services, DSS, not to take over the security arrangement of the court until 12pm when the trial will commence.
Justice Nyako noted with regret that trials of other cases have been aborted and made to suffer unnecessary adjournments each time Kanu’s trial takes place due to heavy security presence and blockade of roads leading to the court.
Justice Nyako has told DSS Director of Legal Services to comply with the directives in the overall interest of justice to other litigants.
Kanu is facing a15-count terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government. The IPOB leader who had since pleaded not guilty to the charges is asking the court to discharge and acquit him without standing trial on the ground that the charges were incurably defective and not worth being defended.
He claimed through his defence team that the charges, which he denied upon arraignment, were incompetent, invalid and have no force of law.
Leader of his defence team, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, said that the offences brought against him were committed in the United Kingdom, outside the shores of Nigeria.
Kanu’s two motions on notice, one questioning the validity of the charges and the other seeking bail are billed for hearing on February 16.
Credit: Daily Sun